SYRACUSE, N.Y. (May 10, 2018) – After staving off elimination each of the past two nights, the Franklin Pierce University baseball team – the fourth seed out of the Northeast Division – has found its way to the title round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship, hosted by Le Moyne, at the Onondaga Baseball Complex. The Ravens will square off with their divisional foe, third-seeded Merrimack, for the league crown. Coming out of the loser's bracket, Franklin Pierce will need to defeat Merrimack twice to claim the trophy, while Merrimack needs just one win to successfully defend its title.

Though a four seed this year, Franklin Pierce (26-22) has been the cream of the crop in the NE10 Championship over nearly the last two decades. The Ravens are one of three schools (Bentley, Merrimack) to establish a new Conference record with their 19^th appearance in the NE10 Championship this season, though Franklin Pierce is the only one to have done so in 19 consecutive years. Franklin Pierce is set to make its 11^th appearance in the championship round of the tournament, which is more than any other school in NE10 history. The Ravens' five titles (2015, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2005) are the most among active NE10 schools and tie former league members Springfield and Massachusetts Lowell for the most in Conference annals. Franklin Pierce's last trip to the title round came in 2017, when they were defeated by New Haven.

Meanwhile, Merrimack (28-18) is in the midst of its 19^th appearance in the NE10 Championship as well, and it will be the team's final trip to the league tournament, as the Warriors depart for Division I beginning next year. Merrimack will look to ride off into the sunset by claiming back-to-back NE10 titles for the second time in program history (1995, 1996). One of the longest-tenured league members, the Warriors also captured the 1990 crown as well. In all, Merrimack is making its ninth trip to the final round of the NE10 Championship and is looking to match Franklin Pierce, Springfield and Massachusetts Lowell with its fifth league title. 

Northeast-10 Baseball Championship
Hosted by Le Moyne College
Onondaga Baseball Complex – Syracuse, N.Y.
(Seeds in parentheses) 

Thursday, May 9
Game 5: (NE3) Merrimack def. (SW4) Southern Connecticut State, 8-1
Game 6: (SW3) Le Moyne def. (NE4) Franklin Pierce, 16-2
Game 7: Franklin Pierce def. Southern Connecticut State, 9-5 (SCSU eliminated) 

Friday, May 10
Game 8: Merrimack def. Le Moyne, 5-2
Game 9: Franklin Pierce def. Le Moyne, 12-1 (Le Moyne eliminated) 

Saturday, May 11
Game 10: Merrimack vs. Franklin Pierce – Noon
*Game 11: Game 10 rematch – 45 minutes after completion of Game 10
* Game 11 only necessary if Franklin Pierce wins Game 10.

There will be a minimum of 45 minutes between games.

Scouting the Ravens

Franklin Pierce has fought off elimination on each of the last two nights at the Onondaga Baseball Complex. On Thursday, a three-run home run by senior designated hitter Ural Forbes (Freeport, Bahamas) put the Ravens ahead to stay in the fifth, on the way to a 9-5 win over Southern Connecticut State. On Friday, it was a complete-game five-hitter for junior right-hander Derek Duffy (Farmington, Conn.), while the offense piled up 14 hits in a 12-1 win over host Le Moyne.

Franklin Pierce has not been ranked yet this season in the NCAA East Region rankings. With an overall record of 26-22, the Ravens' only path into the NCAA Championship field is to win the NE10 Championship and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA East Regional.

On the field, All-NE10 First Team selection and senior left fielder Brad Roberto (San Diego, Calif.) has been the clear leader at the plate for Franklin Pierce all season. In his final go-around at the collegiate level, the Golden State native has put together a .350/.474/.517 slash line over 180 at-bats (63-for-180), which have largely been split between the leadoff spot and the three-hole. Roberto has tallied 10 doubles, four triples and four home runs, scored 43 times and driven in 32 runs. He has drawn 44 walks against just 22 strikeouts. The Ravens have also gotten a .297/.375/.434 slash line over 182 at-bats (54-for-182) out of junior first baseman Jonel Ozuna (New York, N.Y.), who has contributed 15 doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs while scoring 26 runs and driving in 40.

Scouting the Warriors

On the other side of the ledger, Merrimack comes to the title round out of the winner's bracket with victories on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, sophomore right-hander Vin Zappulla fired eight innings of one-run, six-hit ball with 10 strikeouts to lead the way in an 8-1 win over Southern Connecticut State. On Friday, it was sophomore right-hander Timmy Kalantzakos' turn, as he threw a complete-game two-hitter in a 5-2 win over Le Moyne.

Merrimack was ranked eighth in this week's NCAA East Region rankings, with eight teams ultimately qualifying for NCAA Championship play next week. The Warriors have helped their cause with three wins already this week, but it is unknown if a 3-2 week would be enough to get the team into the East Regional field. While Merrimack still has a chance with a pair of losses on Saturday, the sure way into the field for the Warriors is an NE10 title and the automatic berth.

At the plate, Merrimack is led by a co-NE10 Player of the Year in junior Joey Porricelli, who has slashed .321/.399/.566 over 196 at-bats (63-for-196), with 11 doubles, five triples and a team-high nine home runs. He has scored 51 runs and driven in 41, both of which are team-leading figures as well. Fellow junior Thomas Joyce has added a .305/.407/.425 slash line over 174 at-bats (53-for-174), with nine doubles, four home runs and 39 RBIs.

On the Mound

As is often the case in the final round of a double-elimination tournament, it may very well be "all hands on deck" on the pitching mound for both sides on Saturday.

The Ravens are expected to open with right-hander Danny Gracia (Wilmington, Mass.), but will need contributions from much more than just the freshman to post two wins on the day. Gracia threw 4.2 innings in the first round on Tuesday, when the Ravens defeated Southern New Hampshire, 3-2. Expect senior left-hander Evan Glew (North Andover, Mass.) and sophomore right-hander Jack Wallace (Winthrop, Mass.) to feature along the way if the Ravens are to see success.

It is unknown who will start for Merrimack, though senior right-hander Riley Sorenson and his 3.18 ERA may get the call. Expect to hear from ace and fellow senior right-hander Cam Monagle on three-days' rest if the Warriors get into a do-or-die scenario with a second game.

Earlier this Season

The two teams met for a three-game series at Merrimack just two weeks ago, on April 27-28. The Warriors swept a doubleheader on Saturday, with 10-1 and 3-2 (13 innings) victories. The two teams did one better on Sunday, as Franklin Pierce pulled out a 4-2 win in 14 innings.

Previously in the Postseason

The Ravens and the Warriors have previously met five times in the postseason, with all five meetings occurring in the NE10 Championship and Franklin Pierce taking three of the five showdowns.

A year ago, it was a first-round victory for Merrimack, 5-3, in 11 innings, after Franklin Pierce left 12 men on base, including six in scoring position. The year prior, in the 2017 first round at Pappas Field, a four-run fourth inning keyed an eight-run outburst through the middle innings of an 8-0 Ravens win. Cody McPartland provided 7.2 scoreless innings on the hill as part of a seven-hit shutout by Franklin Pierce pitching.

Four years ago, in 2015, the two met at Pappas Field in the first round, and the Ravens used nine strikeouts over 7.1 innings from Mike Lundin to roll to an 11-4 victory. Two years prior to that, in 2013, it was another first round meeting at Pappas Field, and Merrimack got a complete-game, five-hit effort from Alek Morency to deal the Ravens a 4-1 defeat.

The two sides also met in what was effectively a semifinal contest at Pappas Field on the final day of the 2010 NE10 Championship. Eric Pearson went 2-for-2, scored once and drove in two runs to lead the Ravens in a 5-2 victory.

Headed to the Game?

If you plan on making the trip to the Emerald City on Thursday, directions to Onondaga Community College and maps of the Syracuse campus can be found here: http://www.sunyocc.edu/index.aspx?menu=807&id=1817

Ticket prices are set as follows: 

Adults - $6
Children/Seniors - $4
Students (with valid ID from NE10 institutions) - $1

Per Conference policy, no complimentary admissions will be issued.

How to Follow Along

If you prefer to follow the action from home, from work or from elsewhere, live stats will be available. 

Live stats: http://www.lemoynedolphins.com/sidearmstats/baseball
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ne10/

Up Next

The winner of the NE10 Championship will collect the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship along with the trophy. The NCAA field will officially be announced via a selection show on ncaa.com at 10 p.m. on Sunday. NCAA Championship play begins next week.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (https://www.fpuravens.com/store).